XN000022-1988-07-01 — Page 34

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FRIDAY, JULY 1. 1988

IT BE

I THINK IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO TRY AND SINGLE ANY ONE ASPECT OUT WHETHER IT BE COST, WHETHER IT BE UK RESETTLEMENT, WHETHER ANY OTHER. THE WHOLE THING IS TO TRY AND FIND A WAY THROUGH THE VERY REAL DIFFICULTIES THAT EXIST, USING ALL THE MEANS AT OUR DISPOSAL.

STUART PALLISTER (ATV): COULD I JUST RETURN TO THE DEFENCE COSTS, SIR. YOU SAY THAT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED WHICH RATHER PRE-EMPTS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S DECISIONS, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DOES DECIDE TO THROW IT OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE IN BASICALLY A "NO LOSE" SITUATION?

LORD GLENARTHUR: I DON'T REALLY THINK I CAN ANSWER HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS. THE FACT IS THAT THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN REACHED, IT HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY EXCO AND IT NOW GOES TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF LEGCO. LET'S NOT MAKE PROBLEMS BEFORE THESE DISCUSSIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE. IT 15 A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION.

TSE CHOI-WAN (TVB): DO YOU THINK THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S HANDS ARE TIED AS FAR AS DEFENCE COSTS ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE YOU YOURSELF SAID LAST NIGHT THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE "A BRITISH TROOP WITHDRAWAL FROM HONG KONG EVEN IF LEGCO VOTE DOWN THE NEW PROPOSAL?

GARRISON

LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, SO FAR AS THE CHANGES IN THE ARE CONCERNED, THOSE HAVE ΤΟ OBVIOUSLY BE DISCUSSED AS WE WORK TOWARDS 1997. THERE WILL BE ADJUSTMENTS TO FORCE LEVEL NO DOUBT, AS THERE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. IT IS UNREALISTIC TO SUPPOSE THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM COULD WITHDRAW SUDDENLY FROM HONG KONG THAT IS NOT IN ANYBODY'S INTEREST TO ACHIEVE. AND THE IMPORTANT THING IS, AS I HAVE SAID, THAT AN AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED AND IT IS IMPORTANT FROM THAT AGREEMENT TO HAVE IT ENDORSED FULLY HERE IN HONG KONG.

TSE CHOI-WAN: I WANT TO FOLLOW UP THIS QUESTION. So, EVEN IF LEGCO VOTED DOWN ON THIS, YOU HAVE NOTHING MORE TO DO?

LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, I HAVE JUST ANSWERED THAT. IT IS A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION; LET'S NOT DEAL IN HYPOTHESES.

ANN QUON (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST): YOU RAISING THE QUOTA ON REFUGEES WAS ONE OF THE OPTIONS CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT PROGRESS YOU HAVE DIRECTION. ARE YOU LOOKING AT A SPECIFIC FIGURE. ARE CONFINE IT TO FAMILY REUNION CASES OR OPEN IT. QUALIFICATIONS GOING TO BE?

LORD GLENARTHUR:

SUGGESTED THAT BEING STUDIED.

MADE IN YOU GOING то WHAT ARE THE

THAT

I REALLY CAN'T GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON IT, I AM AFRAID, AND I AM SURE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY. I HAVE JUST EXPLAINED THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM WHICH HAVE TO BE DISCUSSED. ONE OF THEM, AS I HAVE SAID, WILL BE THE QUESTION OF RESETTLEMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE DETAILS ON IT. THERE IS A LOT OF CONSIDERATION TO BE GIVEN TO WHAT HAVE SEEN IN HONG KONG.

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